Closure cap for collapsible or rigid tubes



N0 17, 1942. 1'. F. E. FucHsLocl-IER 2,302,533

CLOSURE CAP FR COLLAPSBLE 0R RIGID TUBS Filed April `1 5'. 1940 mgl ./fvvENToR, I l-| 9 THEoDoR F. E. FucHsLocHER Ic?. BY Qw@ ATTORNEY.

atentec Nov. l1,7, 1942 Theodor F. E. Fuchslocher, Van Nuys, Calif., as-

' signor, by direct and mesne assignments, of twenty-two per cent to Hildegard Moser .Behrens, Los Angeles, Calif., twenty-two per cent to Gertrude S. Tenderich, Denver,

Colo., and

twenty-two per cent to Harry C. Alberts, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 15, 1940, Serial No. 329,657

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in closures for dispensing tubes and more particularly to closure caps for collapsible tubes of the type generally used to dispense semi-liquid pastes and creams such as tooth paste, shaving cream and cosmetic preparations, although certain features thereof may be used with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of a simple and inexpensive closure cap structure that is readily assembled in operative position on the discharge necks of standard dispensing tubes for detachable connection therewith and constitutes an improved .automatically operating hermetic sealing unit that is similar in external appearance to the known plastic and metallic screw closure caps as to size and dimensions without any appreciable increase in production cost thereover.

Numerous types of automatic closures for co1- lapsible tubes and the like have heretofore been proposed, but these have either been too expensive in construction to warrant their general adoption or were so designed by necessity or otherwise to expose the internal operating elements to the contents which was found highly undesirable from a self-closing operating standpoint. The internal operating members must `be simple and comprise few parts that are uniniiuenced by the deposit of the contents thereon or between the coacting elements which would impede their normal operation and preclude dependable closing over an extended period of use. To the end of eliminating these undesirable characteristics, the coacting elements must be simple in construction and so arranged as to serve their intended vfunction without being hampered or impaired by contact with the contents.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character described.

Another object is to provide an improved automatically operating hermetic sealing closure cap for dispensing tubes of the collapsible or pliable type.

Still another object is to provide an improved hermetic sealing closure cap constituting a selfcontained independent unit adaptable for threaded connection to the discharge neck of standard collapsible or pliable dispensing tubes.

A further object is to provide a simple and improved automatic closure unit for dispensing application and relaxation of pressure on the contents of the tube.

A still further object is to provide an improved automatic closure cap comprising relatively few parts of simple construction that facilitates the ready assembly thereof with the tube on a mass production scale.

Still a further object is to provide an improved automatic closure unit for a dispensing tube that is capable of being locked against accidental discharge of the contents lduring the non-use thereof.

Other objects andadvantages will appear from the following description of -an illustrative embodiment of the present invention*l In the drawing: y

Figure 1 is a plan View of a dispensing tube assembled with a closure cap embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side View ofthe assembled tube and closure cap shown in Figure 1.

Figure El is an enlarged sectional View in elevation taken substantially along lines Ill-III of Figure l showing the structural details of the closure cap embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the closure cap taken substantially along lines IV--IV of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the external closure cap body with a part thereof shown in section to clarify the showing.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the valve forming part of the closure unit.

Figure 7 is a perspective view in elevation of the valve shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken substantially along lines VIH-VIII of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a perspective View in elevation of the valve actuating spring member for the closure unit.

The structure selected for illustration comprises a closure unit I0 assembled with a cylindrical content dispensing tube II of the collapsible or pliable type generally used for dispensing semi-liquid pastes and creams .such as tooth paste, shaving cream and cosmetic preparations. The collapsible or pliable tube II is made of suitable iiexible metal well known vin the art having one end I2 closed in the usual manner by crimping with the opposite end I3 terminating in a centrally disposed open discharge neck I4 externally threaded as at I5 to receive thecorkrespondingly internally threaded closure unit lIi) tubes that is responsive to the alternate external es Wi11 appear more fully hereinafter,

The tubular discharge neck I4 may be of any size and threads I5 thereon may conform to the type presently used on tooth paste, shaving cream or other popularly used contents marketed in collapsible containers I I. In the present embodiment, the closure unit I consists of an internally threaded cylindrical member IB that is threaded to correspond with and serve as a complement of the external threads I on the container neck I4 for engagement therewith. As shown, the internally threaded cylindrical valve member or sleeve I6 has a smooth exterior surface I1 and terminates upwardly in a peripheral shoulder I8 which merges with an upwardly inclined valve surface or seat i9 terminating in a flat circular tip or head positioned axially of the cylindrical sleeve I6 that may be termed a valve member.

In order to permit the passage of the container contents through the valve member I6, a plurality of arcuate openings 2I and 22, in this instance two, are provided in the inclined valve surface or seat I9 and extend to the peripheral shoulder I8. This -arrangement of openings 2I-22 extends for the major circumference of the valve surface or seat I9 so that the desired volume of contents can be extruded therethrough by subjecting the collapsible container I I to manual pressure and further rolling the enclosed end I2 in the customary manner to discharge the contents through the tubular neck I4 thereof.

It will be observed that the interior of the inclined valve seat I9 with its flathead 20 is recessed to provide a central concavity 23 to receive the correspondingly shaped conical midsection 24 of a flat spring 25 terminating in substantially flat and diametrically extending extremities 26-21. When the conical mid-section 24 of the spring 25 rotates in the conical cavity 23 of valve member I6, the substantially flat extremities -21 thereof protrude through oppositely inclined slots 28 and 29 provided in diametrically opposite sides of the cylindrical valve member I6. It is to be noted that the oppositely inclined slots 28 and 29 are disposed equi-distant of the arcuate content passage openings or apertures 2I-22 and these provide oppositely curved camming edges 30 and 3| that cooperate with the flat spring extremities 26--21 to permit relative rotation with a cap member 32 having an inner cylindrical wall 33 having a diameter corresponding with the exterior diameter of the valve member I6 for relative rotation therebetween and to provide a close fitting enclosure therefor.

As shown, the cap member 32 has an exteriorly knurled annular peripheral shoulder 34 to enable the manual finger grasp thereof for imparting convenient rotation thereto as will appear more fully hereinafter. The inner wall 33 extends upwardhr for a distance commensurate with the exterior smooth cylindrical wall I1 of the valve member I6 so as to constitute a complement thereof. To this end, the inner top surface 35 of the cap 32 is provided with an upwardly inclined conical seat 36 corresponding to and serving as a complement of the valve seat I9 so as to present close fitting contacting surfaces to close the content passage openings 2I-22 when the valve member I6 and the cap member 32 are in engaging contact between their smooth conical seats I9-36. The conical seat 36 in the cap member 32 terminates in a circular opening 31 that extends axially therethrough to receive the correspondingly shaped tip 20 of the valve member I 6 to serve as a tight fitting closure therefor in conjunction with the conical surfaces I9-36 which merge downwardly therefrom.

In order to retain the valve member I6 and the capmember 32 in assembled relation through the medium of the flat spring 25, the interior cylindrical wall 33 of the cap member 32 is provided with diametrically opposed recesses 38 and 39 that are shaped to receive the at extremities 26-21 of the spring member 25. The spring member 25 must be inwardly flexed to contract the conical mid-section 24 thereof to enable the spring extremities 26-21 to be lodged in the recesses 38-39, thereby retaining the valve I6 and the cap member 32 in assembled relation. As a result, the mid-section 24 normally imparts a downward urge to the extremities 26-21 so that the cap member 32 tends to engage the valve tip 20 so that the inclined and complemental valve seat surfaces I9-36 will be normally in engaging contact to close the openings 2 I- 22 in the valve member I6 and the axial opening 31 in the top of the cap member 32.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the projecting extremities 26-21 of the flat spring 25 will ride the opposite inclined camming edges Sil-3| of the openings 28-29 in the valve member I6 and serve to permit relative rotation thereof with the valve cap 32 so that the complemental closure members I6-32 will normally be in contacting engagement to serve as an automatic closure for the discharge orifice in the neck I4 of the container II. With the position occupied by the flat spring 25, it normally is disposed beneath the valve tip 20 between the content passage openings 2I-22 in the valve seat I9, the spring 25 being in flat contact with the inner surface therebetween so that its operating characteristics are not impaired by an undesirable exposure to the contents in passing through the openings 2I-22 and out of the cap opening 31.

Consequently, the working parts are not frozen by the contents of the container II after the extended use of the closure members Iii-32 while the contents is discharged in increments over interrupted intervals of time. It will be observed, therefore, that when the contents of the container II is expelled in increments by external pressure on the walls of the container II and by rolling its closed edge I2, the contents will tend to pass through the arcuate openings 2 I-22 and abut against valve seat surface 36 of the cap .member 32, thereby tending to elevate the latter together with the entire body member 32 from its Valve seat I9 to provide a passage therebetween (Figure 3).

This separating displacement 'between the complemental valve member I6 and cap member 32 is afforded or permitted by the diametrically opposite slots 28-29 that are wider than the thickness of the flat spring extremities `26--21 to permit this relative displacement therebetween. When the pressure on the container Il has been released and relaxed, vthe flat spring 25 will return the complemental valve member I6 and cap member 32 to its initial position with contacting engagement re-established between the valve seats ISI-36, thereby `closing the passage openings 2 I-22 and the central discharge opening 31.

So that accidental pressure on the walls of container II will not accidentally extrude the contends while the container II is being carried in a suit-case or otherwise packed for shipment, locking against any permitted separation between the valve member I and cap member 32 is effected by merely rotating the latter in a clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 2) relative to the valve member i6. This relative rotary displacement is effected with a fractional turn and serves to bring the valve seat I9 tightly against the valve seat 36 in tight frictional engagement owing to the fact that the projecting extremities '2B-2 of the flat spring 25 ride against the cam edges Sil-3| to bring the cap member 32 down against the valve member I6 in an eXtreme posi tion.

In this extreme position, the camming edges 3J-3I of the slots 23--29 in the valve member I6 assume a position in the cap member recesses 38-39 adjacent the inner top wall 35 thereof to preclude any further relative reciprocal movement between the complemental members I 6-32. As a result, there cannot be any separation between the valve seats IQ-SS by any further eX- ternal application of pressure on the container I I. To further lpermit the separation of the valve engaging surfaces IS-SB When desired to continue the normal use of the container II for the discharge of the contents therefrom, all that is necessary is to turn the cap member 32 in a counterclockwise direction (viewed from Figure 2) so as to return the parts to their initial position and provide for relative displacement therebetween within the limits controlled by the Width of the recesses 38-39 relative to the thickness of the spring extremities 25-21.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a comparatively simple, dependable and inexpensive closure cap construction -of the automatic closing type has been provided with a minimum number of parts and Without the normal impairment created by the exposure -thereof to the contents of the container III as such are discharged therefrom. The locking feature described supra is also of importance and eliminates the undesirable possibility of leakage When the container II is not in use and pressure is accidentally applied externally thereto.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described Without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or any of the features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations of the invention, its concept or structural embodiment fas to the Whole or any part thereof, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a receptacle having a tubular neck serving as a discharge orifice, of a pair of complemental closure members associated with said neck to normally close the discharge orifice, one of said closure members having an extended valve head with a conical recess thereunder, the other of said members comprising a cap having an annular valve seat to receive said valve head for complemental tted engagement therebetween, and a flat spring bar for rotatively and reciprocally connecting said 'closure members, said fiat spring bar having a conically tapered midsection and straight end sections for continuous contact against said valve head and its conical recess for the entire diametrcal eXtent thereof to normally urge one of said members in closing contact with the other of said members and to permit their relative separating movement for the discharge of the receptacle contents under pressure.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receptacle having an externally threaded tubular neck serving as a discharge orifice, of a pair of complemental closure members threadedly engaged with said neck to normally close the discharge orifice, lone of said closure members having a centrally disposed eX- tended valve head With a conical recess thereunder, the other of said members comprising a cap having an annular valve seat 4in axial alignment with saiddischarge orifice to receive said valve head for complemental tted engagement therebetween, and a at spring bar for rotatively and reciprocally connecting said closure members, said flat spring bar having a conically tapered mid-section and straight end sections for continuous contact against said valve head and its conical recess for the entire diametrical eX- tent thereof to normally urge one of said members in closing Contact with the other of said members and to permit their relative separating movement for the disch'arge of the receptacle contents under pressure, there being a pair of diametrically opposed internal recesses in the wall of said cap member and a pair of aligned apertures in the Wall of said valve member to receive said at spring means for maintaining said members in assembled rela-tion, each of said aligned apertures having oppositely inclined camming edges with narrow and Wide ends for cooperation with said flat spring member to enable their relative reciprocation and effect locking engagement between said closure members responsive to relative rotation therebetween.

THEODOR F. E. FUCHSLOCHER. 

